WSJ/NBC News Poll: Romney Retakes Lead Nationwide

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has retaken the lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Romney now leads former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum 38 to 32 percent, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, were tied at 13 percent.

Romney has picked up support among tea party supporters, where he has gone from 21 percent in January to 35 percent now, the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows. Among GOP members who describe themselves as very conservative, Romney's support has nearly doubled, to 32 percent.

However, the poll, taken nationwide, shows that President Barack Obama's numbers are inching up as the economy improves, and his approval rating is now at 50 percent.

The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll also showed that Obama would defeat all Republican challengers. Against Romney, Obama would win 50 to 44 percent; Gingrich, 54 to 37 percent; Santorum, 53 to 39 percent; and Paul 50 to 42 percent.

Support for Obama is increasing from white women and white, blue-collar workers.

The poll querried 800 adults Wednesday through Saturday, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.